Frequently Asked Questions

CADS is a graduate program, we do not offer undergraduate level courses. However, Brock’s Department of Child and Youth Studies offers a sequence of third and fourth year courses in ABA, which can be used toward fulfilling the course requirements for a Board Certified Assistant Behaviour Analyst (BCaBA) offered by BACB.

No. CADS offers a Graduate Diploma in Applied Disability Studies for persons who have completed a Master's degree. This non-degree Graduate Diploma in Applied Disability Studies can include the ABA courses.

Is it possible to take only practicum courses?

No.

Is it possible to take courses without enrolling in a specific CADS program?

No.

What can I expect the workload to be?

Courses are one weekend a month; despite this students can expect to require most evenings/weekends to complete readings and assignments.

How do I find out if my degree is considered equivalent to an Ontario Honours degree?

Students who obtained a Bachelor's degree from a university outside of Ontario may have a 4-year non-honours degree that is considered equivalent to the Ontario Honours degrees – 4-year non-honours Bachelor's degrees from Canadian/U.S. accredited universities are usually considered equivalent. Students holding a 4-year non-honours degree are encouraged to apply, applications will be reviewed by the Committee and transcripts are individually assessed for equivalency.

Students who obtained their university degree outside of Canada/U.S. are to contact the Faculty of Graduate Studies directly for instruction on how to demonstrate degree equivalency.

CADS can only answer program specific questions. Questions regarding any and all portions of the application process are to be directed to the Faculty of Graduate Studies http://www.brocku.ca/graduate-studies.

How do I choose a potential thesis supervisor?

Centre Faculty, Cross Appointed and Affiliated Faculty are able to act as thesis supervisors. MA applicants are encouraged to examine CADS Faculty research interests/publications. MA applicants are also encouraged to contact potential supervisors to discuss thesis research.

Deadline for supporting documentation to be received by Brock University from all sources including references is February 1st of each year.

If I want to apply to more than one of your programs must I submit more than one application?

Should you choose to apply to more than one of CADS Graduate Programs you will have to submit more than one application. As such, more than one application fee will apply.

If I am applying to both the MA and M.ADS programmes do I need more than one statement of intent?

It is recommended that students tailor their statements of intent to reflect the programme applied for.

Can I change my specialization, ABA>General : General>ABA?

Please contact CADS for further information.

Can I still apply if my average is less than 75%?

CADS encourages persons who hold an honours degree to apply. Those with averages below 75% will be assessed and may be offered exceptional acceptance or recommended for qualifying courses.

Am I eligible for transfer credits for courses taken at other institutions?

Transfer credits are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the CADS office and must be requested at the time of application. Further information on transfer credit guidelines can be found here: www.brocku.ca/webfm_send/28796

Am I eligible for transfer credits for courses taken at other institutions outside of Canada?

Transfer credits are assessed on a case-by-case basis by the CADS office and must be requested at the time of application. Further information on transfer credit guidelines can be found here: www.brocku.ca/webfm_send/28796

Am I eligible for transfer credits for courses taken online at other institutions?

Online course do not qualify for transfer credits.

My friend received an offer of admission but my portal account says my file is still under review. Does that mean I did not get in?

No. Your portal is the most up-to-date account of your application. If it says the file is still under review, it is still under review. Applications are reviewed individually. This means it takes more time for decisions to be made. However, this does give every student the most thorough and fair review possible. Be patient, this process takes time and all applicants are notified one way or the other.

How come my friend got in and I didn’t?

Every individual and application is unique. The programs offered are highly competitive and the smallest of difference in applications can equate to one being accepted and one not. We strongly caution students against comparing applications and responses.

When will I know if I got in or not?

The admissions process is ongoing until the program is full. This process will sometimes go well into the summer months and we appreciate everyones patience. Much of this process is dependent on the response times of students to existing offers – this makes timelines difficult to set and out of our control. The sooner an offer is responded to, the sooner we can move on to the next offer.

Do not expect a response from your application before March 30. CADS will not answer any questions regarding any of the application process including evaluation and status.

What if I hold a 3-Year degree but have taken a College Diploma? Can I still apply?

A College Diploma is not equivalent to a 4-year BA at University. If you do not meet the minimum admission requirements, you can apply, but may not be admitted and instead be referred to taking our Qualifying Courses. Admission recommendations rest with the admissions committe, and final decisions to admit are at the discretion of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.

Qualifying Courses are available for students who do not meet the minimum criteria for admission to the M.ADS program. Successful completion of the recommended qualifying courses allow M.ADS applicants who previously did not meet the minimum entry criteria to be considered for admission to the M.ADS program. It is highly recommended applicants achieve a minimum of a "B" average in their qualifying courses to be considered strong applicants for admission to M.ADS.

How many qualifying courses will I have to take?

Upon applying, the CADS Graduate Admissions Committee will review all applications and determine which qualifying courses each student should take from available courses in order to meet graduate admissions equivalency. Generally, Students who hold only a 3-year degree will be assessed 5 courses.

Tuition is set by Brock University in accordance with provincial government stipulations. MA student tuition may be offset by stipends/bursaries routinely offered to all full-time Brock MA students. Current tuition fees can be found here: http://www.brocku.ca/finance/students/graduate

CADS will not advise of the cost of tuition. All financial questions are to be directed to the Finance office. For a rough calculation of tuition please note the number of half credits required for your program and multiply that by the half credit tuition rate found on the finance page noted above.

Unfortunately, course locations are based on the program which students are enrolled in. CADS cannot guarantee all courses will be in locations most convenient to you. There is no application for Hamilton/Torornto specifically. Students apply to the program and are assigned a cohort based on program of study (MA, M.ADS, Graduate Diploma - full/part-time) and geographical location. Students will be notified of their cohort. There is no way to obtain your cohort information before accepting your offer of admission. FT MADS is generally offered only in Hamilton but may also need to attend the St. Catharines Campus. ALL MA students will study in Hamilton and St. Catharines. This information is provided at the orientation in the summer.

Should I work full-time and take courses?

Courses are offered on weekends; full-time students – 2 weekends per month: part-time students – 1 weekend per month. Graduate programs are intense, CADS is no different. Working students should note there is a considerable amount of readings/assignments to be completed between weekends and working students must reserve sufficient time to complete the readings/assignments. You cannot work and study Full Time. If you are working FT then you must study PT.

What do I do if I am struggling with my course load?

Communication is key. Contact the instructor immediately either in person or via email. Students who are not comfortable speaking/emailing instructors directly can contact the CADS director or administration.

What do I do if I have to miss a class?

The structure of the program is not conducive to missing class and is never recommended. Significant penalties are imposed for lost time. It is important to speak with the instructor if missing a class is necessary. You will be required to provide further documentation.

How long will it take to complete my program as a full-time student?

Full-time students, provided all courses are taken/passed, can expect to be finished in 2 years.

How long will it take to complete my program as a part-time student?

Part-time students, provided all courses are taken/passed, can expect to be finished in 3 years.

How long will it take to complete the Graduate Diploma?

Provided all courses are taken/passed, students can expect to finish in 2 years.

When do courses start?

Courses commence in September of each year.

Is there a January start for the program?

Currently, CADS does not offer a January start.

Is there a Spring start for the program?

Currently, CADS does not offer a Spring start.

What course calendar do I refer to?

Students will always consult the graduate calendar specific to their entry year.

Is the course sequence approved by the Association for Behavior Analysis International?

The ABA course sequence is not approved by the Association for Behavior Analysis International. Future plans for CADS includes obtaining ABA course sequence approval through the Association for Behavior Analysis International.

Will I obtain the necessary coursework to be eligible for the BCBA certification?

Take/pass all the required courses and obtain your degree; you will have the necessary degree and course work to meet the BACB criteria for applying to be a BCBA. This is not the only BACB certification requirement, for the official BACB certification requirements please visit: http://www.bacb.com/

Will I obtain the necessary supervised experience hours to be eligible for the BCBA certification?

Supervised experience hours are not the responsibility of CADS. Working students often obtain these hours through their place of employment. Within the MA program: CADS offers supervised practicum credits, these credits alone do not fulfill all of the supervised experience hours required for BACB. CADS may be able to assist students in finding a placement/supervisor. This is not the only BACB certification requirement, for the official BACB certification requirements please visit: http://www.bacb.com/

Sakai/Isaak is Brock’s web based learning management system, it facilitates learning by creating private communities for exchanging information such as dates, files, notes and other resources. Sakai/Isaak also provides communication tools like mail and discussion boards. Further information can be found here: https://kumu.brocku.ca/sakai/FAQ

Correspondence with CADS may be done through personal email addresses. However, once you have accepted an offer, correspondence is then limited to your assigned Brock address. Do not forward your Brock email to another personal email address (e.g. Hotmail, Gmail etc.). Email assistance can be found here: http://www.brocku.ca/information-technology/email